Uefa issued a circular on Monday to underline that 1 March is the strict deadline for compliance. It insisted there would be no extension to get around the regulations after this date. There had been speculation that the rules could be relaxed. But emboldened by the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) detailed ruling, external on Palace's failed appeal, Uefa has instead reiterated that there will be no special dispensation.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has partially overturned a blanket exclusion on Russian and Belarusian athletes seeking neutral status, potentially allowing a number of them to return to competition ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy. The ruling only affects individual athletes that can meet the requirement of neutrality while Russian and Belarusian national teams remain barred.
Pumas originally sought compensation of $5m (and an additional $1m-plus for image rights purchased) through a clause in his contract that noted the consequence of a premature termination in the signed agreement without just cause. CAS' recent decision highlighted that the clause "simply does not pass the fundamental 'test' of proportionality between the penalty and the potential damage caused," thereby leading to the decision of a compensation from Alves to Pumas for $2.2m.